02/10/2017 01:30 PM Senate HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES

          SB 20-LIST U-47700 AS A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:30:48 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR WILSON  announced the consideration  of SB 20. He  noted the                                                              
proposed committee substitute (CS), 30-LS0319\D.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
1:31:19 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR VON  IMHOF moved  to adopt  the work draft  CS for  SB 20,                                                              
version 30-LS0319\D, as the working document.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR WILSON asked if there was an objection to adopting the CS.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR VON IMHOF objected for discussion purposes.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
1:32:07 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR MICCICHE joined the committee meeting.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
1:32:16 PM                                                                                                                    
CHRISTINE  MARASIGAN, Staff,  Senator  Kevin  Meyer, Alaska  State                                                              
Legislature,  Juneau,  Alaska,  explained  the  CS for  SB  20  as                                                              
follows:                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     Page 4, line 30:                                                                                                       
      Misspelling corrected, adding a "z" in the word that                                                                      
     was brought up by Dr. Butler.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
     Page 4, line 31:                                                                                                       
     There's a new  Section 2, this new section  continues on                                                                   
     page 5, lines  1-6 which basically inserts  the language                                                                   
     to have  tramadol be  Schedule IVA controlled  substance                                                                   
     thus  bringing  Alaska statute  in  line with  what  has                                                                   
     already happened on the national level of tramadol.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR WILSON asked if the objection to the CS is maintained.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
1:33:05 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR VON IMHOF removed her objection.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR WILSON announced  that without objection, the  CS for SB 20,                                                              
version D, is adopted by the committee.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR MICCICHE  asked to  comment prior to  moving the  bill out                                                              
of committee. He  stated that the things that he  has been looking                                                              
at to  try and present  more of a  catch-all moving  forward needs                                                              
more  work. He  asserted  that the  bill  definitely improves  the                                                              
situation and  he is very supportive.  He said he will  be getting                                                              
with  those that  are  experts,  including [Senator  Giessel],  to                                                              
work on recommendations going forward.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  WILSON  stated  that  he   appreciated  Senator  Micciche's                                                              
comment and  noted that  all committee members  would like  a more                                                              
in-depth  solution   to  the  matter  that  plagues   the  state's                                                              
communities.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  KEVIN MEYER,  Alaska State  Legislature, Juneau,  Alaska,                                                              
Sponsor of SB 20. Commented as follows:                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     I certainly  agree with Senator Micciche and  I think we                                                                   
     had a  really good discussion  on this topic and  how we                                                                   
     need  to come  up with  a system  so that  we can  react                                                                   
     quicker, faster,  be a little  more nimble than  waiting                                                                   
     for us to  come into session and go through  the process                                                                   
     of passing  a law; although,  we are creating a  new law                                                                   
     with  a  pretty  severe  crime.  So,  I  think  it  does                                                                   
     deserve  a deliberative  process,  but I  would agree  I                                                                   
     think Senator  Giessel and  her opioid task  force might                                                                   
     be  a  good  place  to  start  the  discussion  or  this                                                                   
     committee  and  we  are certainly  very  supportive  and                                                                   
     want to help  in any way we can, but at  least what this                                                                   
     will  do  now  is  get  this  particular  bill  or  this                                                                   
     particular  drug which  we know is  currently a  serious                                                                   
     problem,  unlawful  and against  the  law, so  that  the                                                                   
     police  force  can now  start  implementing  appropriate                                                                   
     penalties.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR WILSON  disclosed that the plan  in future weeks  is to have                                                              
the Statewide Drug  Enforcement Unit and the Alaska  Opioid Policy                                                              
Task  Force present  options  before the  committee  to solve  the                                                              
problem that SB 20 addresses.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR MEYER thanked Chair Wilson.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  WILSON asked  if  there is  any  objection  to Senator  von                                                              
Imhof's motion to move SB 20.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
1:35:29 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR VON  IMHOF moved to  report the CS  for SB 20,  version D,                                                              
from  committee  with  individual   recommendations  and  attached                                                              
fiscal note(s).                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:35:39 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  WILSON announced  that seeing  no  objection, CSSB  20(HSS)                                                              
moved  from  the  Senate  Health   and  Social  Services  Standing                                                              
Committee.